The present invention relates to a system and method for identifying candidates for receiving cardiac therapy based on biochemical markers associated with propensity for arrhythmias.
Many patients experiencing ventricular tachyarrhythmia may be at risk of loss of heart function. Sudden cardiac death, which results from a loss of heart function, is often preceded by episodes of ventricular tachyarrhythmia such as ventricular fibrillation (VF) or ventricular tachycardia (VT). Many patients are unaware that they are at risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmia. For some unfortunate patients, a sudden cardiac death incident may be the first sign that they were at risk. It is of course preferable for such patients to be aware of their risk in advance of such an event. In patients who are aware of their risk, an implantable medical device, such as a pacemaker with defibrillation and cardioversion capability, may drastically increase the survival rates of such patients.